Ok, so England actually won the game 2-1 and that, if anything, flattered the Germans. But, whatever the British media will have you believe, the game really didn't matter that much. It was a friendly between two teams whose players on the night have both bigger fish to fry in club football and more important international battles on the horizon. Most of these players are too young to remember the 1990 World Cup (one of the only benefits of being old: I do) let alone 1970, 1966 or its melodically referenced companions the "two world wars" so it was an experimental exercise with little edge.
Ok, so if we wanna talk football, it was pretty good from an English point of view (which I occasionally have). England attacked well, showed good movement off the ball and the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips actually taking players on (successfully!) is a joy to behold. Even the frankly odious John Terry did the decent thing and admitted he was the culpable party for the German goal and Gabi Agbonlahor made an impressive and loooong overdue debut (I've been demanding this for years. Thanks for listening, Fabio). Enjoy it while it lasts, England fans. Really, Wednesday night you should have played the lottery, rung up Noel Gallagher to see if he needs another touring guitarist and asked out Keeley Hazell. Things seemed to be going in your favour.
But the bigger victories went to the Germans. Yep, I'm talking football design (humour me). 1-0 with the kit and with the stadium, a cracker, they made it 2.
There's nothing new about the German strip; it's been out a while but it's still one of the most original kits of recent times. I'm something of a shirt number obsessive and the fact that the numbers on the back of the shirt are, y'know, an ACTUAL DIFFERENT COLOUR to the numbers of the front BLOWS MY MIND. It's classy, understated but with interesting features. The England away kit, on the other hand, is rubbish.
I mean, I have to admit (do I really?), it's growing on me. A bit. David Beckham, for example, can wear it well. But, as I've said before, he can make anything look passable (no pun intended and other than sarongs) and it's still much worse than the German kit and, more depressingly, vastly inferior to the last England away kit, which was pretty special. If England continue with Umbro rather than their parent company Nike biting the bullet and making some shirts worthy of the Three Lions - and we understand the former is more likely - then they really need to improve on a product that six months after release is now retailing at a tenner.
But shirts schmerts! The greatest victory Germany had over England tonight was in architecture. Did you see that stadium?! I mean, don't get me wrong, I like Wembley. I couldn't argue that it doesn't look a little too industrial and I would have been all for having some kind of modern twist on the towers rather than the arch but I still think it looks great. The structure can be seen from Greenwich on a clear day and it's as recognisable as The Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and "The Gherkin" and all that's stuff's brilliant. But did you see the Olympiastadion?!
I realise this is probably an old argument due to its age and publicised renovation prior to hosting the last World Cup final, I just guess in 2006 I was too busy not knowing that video replay technology was allowed to be used in-game to send off players (I'm still bitter) to see that the place is a marvel! It doesn't have the changeable lighting of the Allianz Arena (which, and we all know it, is also better than Wembley) but the more traditional and classical design ends up being just as eye-catching. Werner March, aside from working for the Nazis, great stuff!
So Germany win again. Well played to them. I'll even let them off for turning up with a girls' matchball.
